Elderly Parents Denied Boarding on SunExpress Flight Despite Medical Need
On November 17, my elderly parents (aged 70 and 74), both unwell, were denied boarding on a SunExpress flight from Izmir to Stuttgart. My father, a COPD patient, requires a portable oxygen machine for travel. Despite flying without issues in the past, SunExpress demanded a "fit-to-fly" medical report for the first time. They were told they needed to visit a doctor and pay €120 for an evaluation.
The doctor refused to provide the report, citing a misunderstanding where my father’s attempt to assert his rights (“I’ll take legal action”) was deemed offensive. This led to my parents’ tickets being confiscated at the boarding gate. They were promised their luggage would be returned, but it was not. They returned home without their belongings and had to endure the stress of another trip to the airport the next day.
Strangely, the €120 fee became €70, and they were later informed that the report was unnecessary. They eventually boarded the flight, but their luggage didn’t arrive for a week. Worse, a carton of cigarettes from their luggage was missing.
This treatment of elderly and sick passengers is unacceptable. I demand a formal apology from SunExpress and immediate accountability for these mishandlings.
